Lashing-cutter



P. 1. AND M. 1. CLARKE.

LASHING CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG,28, l9l9.

1,397,362. Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

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P. J. AND M. J. CLARKE.

LASHING CUTTER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.28|1919.

1 ,8 9 7, 3 62 Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

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PETER J. CLARKE AND MICHAEL J. CLARKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LASHING-GU'ITER.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15,1921.

Application filed. August 28, 1919. Serial No. 320,474.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PETER J. CLARKE and llfrormnn J. CLARKE, citizensof the United States, and residents of the city of Chicago, county ofCook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Lashing-Cutters, of which the following is aspecification.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in lashing cuttersand has for its object a provision of a lashing cutter which willbehighly eflicient in use, durable in structure and economic inmanufacture.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The inventionconsists in the combination and arrangements of partshereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1, is a perspective view of the invention.

Fig. 2, is a side elevational view of the invention with parts removed.

Fig. 3, is a top plan view of a horizontal sectional view of theinvention.

Fig. 4, is a sectional view of the invention taken substantially on linelr-l: of Fig. 1.

The approved form of construction comprises a base 5 mounted upon whichis a housing 7, one wall 6 of which is detachable, the wall 6 beingsecured to the rest of the housing by suitable fastening means 6 and 8,the housing proper being mounted upon the base 5 by means of suitablebolts 8 and nuts 9. Pivotally mounted upon one side of the housing 7 bymeans-of a suitable bolt 10 is lever 11, the opposite end of the lever11 projecting exteriorly of the housing 7. Secured to the exteriorlyprojecting end of the lever 11 is a suitable cutting element or blade12. Positioned upon the member 10 adjacent opposite sides of the lever11 are washers 14: and 15. Securely fastened to lever 11 within thehousing 7 as at 16 is one end of a torsional spring 17, the opposite end18 of which is laterally offset and adapted to project through a slot 19provided in the upper face of the housing 7. Securely fastened to therigid wall of the housing 7 adjacent the upper side thereof 1s a guidemember 20 adapted to retain the end 18 of the spring 17 in engagementwith the slot 19.

The front wall of the housing 7 is provided with a vertically extendingslot 21 in whlch the lever 11 is adapted to move. Prvotally mounted uponthe front wall of the housing 7 by means of a bolt 23 is a lever 22 oneend of which is turned at right angles to form a suitable ratchetelement 24: which is adapted to engage and retain the lever 11 inelevated position. When the lever 11 is raised to an elevated position,the same may be released by disengaging the ratchet member 24: from thelever, whereupon the torsional spring 17 will carry the lever 11 and itscooperating cutting element 12 quickly and forcefully downwardly intocontact with the base 5. dental release of the member 11 when inelevated position a suitable stop 25 is inserted in an opening providedin the front wall of the housing 7. l/Vhen the lever 11 is raised toelevated position and the stop 25 inserted into the opening mentioned,the member 24 can not be disengaged from the member 11. This member 25,however, may be readily inserted or removed in the opening mentioned.

The device is adapted and intended for use for cutting the lashing of aship upon the launching of the same. The base 5 is inserted beneath thelashing rope, so that the rope lies across the base 5 at the point wherethe blade 12 strikes the same. When the rope is so positioned, releaseof the lever 11 from engagement with the ratchet element 24 will causethe cutting element 12 to forcefully strike the lashing rope therebyimmediately severing the same. It is consequently seen that we haveprovided a device which is accurate and eificient in use andinstantaneous in action.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form ofconstruction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable ofvariation and modification without departing from the spirit of theinvention. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precisedetails of the construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves ofsuch variations and modifications as come within the scope of theappended claims.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In combination with a lashing cutter having a housing; aspring-actuated lever pivotally mounted on said housing; a de- Toprevent acci tachable cutting element mounted on the forward end of saidlever; and a lever p1v- 'otally mounted on said housing, said leverprovided with a laterally extending ratchet at its forward end, adaptedto engage said spring actuated lever for retaining the same inelevatedposition, substantially as described.

2. In combination with a lashing cutter having a housing; aspring-actuated lever pivotally mounted on said housing; a detachablecutting element mounted on the forward end of said lever; a lever.pivotally mounted on said housing, said lever provided with alaterallyextending ratchet at having a housing; a spring-actuated lever"pivotally mounted onsaid housing; a detachable cutting element mountedon the forward end of said lever; a lever pivotally mounted on saidhousing, said lever provided with a laterally extending ratchet at itsforward end, adapted to engage said spring-actuated lever for-retainingthe same in elevated position; and a stop detachably mounted on saidhousing adapted to prevent the operation of disengaging the said ratchetfrom said spring-actuated lever. r

'4. In combination with a lashing cutter having a pivotally mountedspring-actuated lever; a cutting element detaohably mounted on theforward end of said lever and extending laterally therefrom; and apivotally mounted lever having its forward end bent at rightanglesadap'ted to engage said' spring-actuatedlever retaining the samein elevated position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofwehave signed our names to this specification in thepresence-of two subscribing witnesses. 1

PETER J. CLARKE. MICHAEL J. CLARKE.

Witnesses r JOSHUA It. H. PoTTs. B. G. -RICHARDS.

